An electronic skin for a robot is an element designed in order to ultimately provide a skin similar to a skin of a human to the robot. A touch sensor forming the electronic skin is used for a user interface through which a machine and a human being may communicate with each other. The electronic skin configured of a network of electronic elements sensing a touch may be utilized for a high performance wearable electronic device attached onto the skin.
A touch sensor having flexibility as well as a function of sensing temperature and pressure gradients is the next-generation technology, and may also be applied to a user interface of a mobile device and the next-generation wearable computer. In addition, the electronic skin may be utilized for a biomimetic prosthetic device used in an intelligent robot and a rehabilitation medicine. Further, the electronic skin may be used for an interface of a remote medical robot, or the like.
In the case of configuring a conductive layer of a pressure sensor, which is a kind of touch sensor, using a conductive nano-tube in the related art, the conductive nano-tube does not have elasticity, such that a phenomenon that the conductive layer cracks or cleaves by external force occurs.
In order to implement a stretchable touch sensor that may be used as the next-generation technology, a flexible conductive layer should be formed in the touch sensor.